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13 January 2010 
 
 
 
Your Ref: 
 
 
 
 
Our Ref: 
0876/2009 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Mr Calum Fuller 
 
 
Force Disclosure Unit 
Email : [email address]  
Police Headquarters 
173 Pitt Street 
GLASGOW 
G2 4JS 
 
Tel: 0141 435 1217 
 
Fax: 0141 435 1218 
 
 
Dear Mr Fuller 
 
FREEDOM OF INFORMATION REQUEST REFERENCE NUMBER 0876/2009 
 
I refer to your request for information dated 4 November 2009, which was received by 
Strathclyde Police on that date.  I apologise for the delay in providing a response to your 
request. 
 
I would like to know how many people have had to find alternative housing or 
accommodation for their own safety in the Strathclyde area.  Where possible, I would 
like a breakdown of how many are temporary or permanent, and the reasons for their 
relocation.  
 
CLARIFICATION : 2008 Calendar Year 
 
In terms of Section 18 of the Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002 (the Act) 
Strathclyde Police can neither confirm nor deny that it holds the information requested by 
you.  However, if the information was held by the Force, it would be considered exempt in 
terms of one or more of the exemptions detailed in Section 18 of the Act, which are listed 
below: 
 
•  Section 34 – Investigations by a Scottish Public Authority 
•  Section 35 – Law Enforcement  
•  Section 39(1) – Health Safety and the Environment 
 
Section 18 of the Act also provides that there is no requirement on a public authority, when 
issuing a Refusal Notice in terms of Section 18, to state why the public interest in maintaining 
the exemption outweighs that in disclosure of the information; nor is there any requirement to 
state why the exemption applies in so far as that statement would disclose information which 
would itself be exempt information.  This should not, however, be taken as conclusive 
evidence that the information you have requested exists or does not exist.     
 
Witness protection and the methods used to provide such a service are very sensitive areas of 
policing which require complete confidentiality in order to protect anyone directly involved, 
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the wider public and serve the interests of justice.  As such, it is not in the public interest to 
confirm whether specific measures of witness protection have been utilised within a particular 
time frame.  Again, this should not be taken as conclusive evidence that the information 
you have requested exists or does not exist. 
 
I hope this information is helpful, however, if you are not satisfied with the way that your 
request has been dealt with, you are entitled in the first instance to request a review of the 
decision made by the force.  Should you wish to request such a review, please write to the 
Disclosure Manager within 40 working days of receiving this letter.  
 
If, after having been informed of the Review Panel’s decision, you are still not satisfied then 
you are entitled to apply to the Scottish Information Commissioner within six months for a 
decision.  The Commissioner can be contacted the Office of the Scottish Information 
Commissioner, Kinburn Castle, Doubledykes Road, St Andrews, Fife, KY16 9DS, 
Telephone: 01334 464610. 
 
Should you require any further assistance concerning this matter, please do not hesitate to 
contact me directly on 0141 435 1217, quoting the reference number given. 
 
Yours sincerely 
 
 
 
 
Christine Boyd 
Sergeant 
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